Combined piano and player-piano bench.



W. P. SENG.

COMBINEDPIANO AND PLAYER PIANO BENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1916.

1,204,706. v Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. 2 zg l gll l ml lllllllllllll/lllllgl l V IN VEN TOR. 4 immi v I A TTORNE Y.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, I916.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

ms NORR a. ruom uma WASNINO'IQN. v.1.

rrnD ST TES I A-TEN OFFICE:

WENDELIN PLSENG, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNon TO THE SE-NG COMPANY, or

CHICAGO," ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 013 ILLINOIS.

COMBINED PIANO AND PLAYER-PIANO BENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed March 24, 1916. Serial No. 86,352.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WENDELIN P. SENG,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of- Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Pianoand Player-Piano Benches, of which the-following is a specification. I

As is well-known, the conventional type of piano-bench is usually furnished with and used by performers on what are known as player-pianos, by which I mean that class of pianos capable of use for ordinary piano playing and which also include a mechani cal player-mechanism operated by air provided through pedals worked by the footpower of the performer. The muscular eX- least impedes this action upon the part ofthe performer, so that all exertion upon the pumping-pedals is exercised by the muscles of the legs and feet instead of by such muscles and those of the hips and back in addition to the weight of thebody. To overcome this difiiculty, performers on playerpianos support their bodies on the front edge of the bench, an awkward as well as dangerous'habit, as their position is insecure and the bench apt to slip. v

The objects of this invention are to provide a bench, which by its peculiar construction, is adapted for use either in connection with an ordinary piano or a player-piano, being readily convertible from one to the other, and which when so iconverted, will support the body of the performer so as-to give perfect freedom of the body and legs of the performer whereby the latter may secure proper expression to the musical composition being rendered, and also which may be conveniently utilized for the storage of music-rolls or their containers; 7

With these principal objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring, to the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a combined piano and player-piano bench embodying my invention, the parts being shown 'in the vposition they. occupywhen the same is adapted for use asv an ordinary pianobench; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the seat raised to' give access to the music-roll receptacle; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the parts being shown in the position they occupy when adjusted or converted to form a player-piano bench; F igs;

l and 5 are details of parts hereinafter particularly referred to. i

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.. As in the conventional type of pianobench, I employ sides or end standards 1, and these, it will be understood, may be of any desired construction and design. These standards are connected near their upper ends, :and hence, support, in the present instance, an intermediate horizontally disposed box-like receptacle 2, designed to hold .or store music-rolls and their containers.

This receptacle is formed, in the present instance, merely by connecting the two'sidebars 3, usually employed in piano-benches,

by means of a bottom-board 4:. The pres-v ence of the receptacle in the structure is not at all necessary and may be omitted if preferred. When. present, however, it will be found highly convenient for the storage of music-rolls or sheet-music, for that matter.

The seat 5, which also serves as a lid 01' closure for the receptacle 2, is, in the present instance not 'only rendered adjustable, as hereinafter described, but also is capableof swinging vertically so as to give access to the receptacle.- Ordinarily, the seat 5 occupies an approximately horizontal position,whereby it is adapted as a piano-bench. Variations as to details in the mechanism employed for adjusting the seat 5 so as to bring it to .an inclined position as shownv in Fig. 3that is with the rear edge of the seat elevated above the support of the front edge,

may be made and will readily suggest themselves and I therefore do not wish to be limited in this respect to the exact mechanism herein shown and hereinafter described for 55 combinations of parts .ghereinafterj -described this purpose. v

To the inner side of each of the standards or ends 1, is secured a metal plate 6 (see Fig. 41), and'the same is provided at its front end with an off-set portion 7, and with an intermediate off-set portion 8, said off-set portions being provided with headed studs 9, and 9*. At convenient points perforations 10, are formed in said plates, whereby by means of screws, said plates may be fastened to the ends or standards 1. Upon each of these plates 6, there is mounted for movement-both reciprocal as well as vibratorya cam-plate 11, forming one member-the movableof an adjusting hinge. Each cam-plate comprises front and rear extensions 12, and 13, respectively, and an intermediate widened portion 1st. The front 12, is provided with a straight elongated slot 15, longitudinally disposed, while the rear 13, is provided with a perforation to receive a rivet 16. The widened portion of the plate is provided with a transverely disposed curved slot 17 the lower front end of which is somewhat abruptly disposed to form a locking-recess 17. The front stud 9, of the plate 6, engages loosely with the straight elongated slot 15, of the cam-plate '11, while the stud 9 of said plate 6, engages with the curved slot 17, of said cam-plate and is adapted to lock with the locking recess 17 thereof. A bracket-arm 18, forming the second member of the adjusting hinge, is secured to the underside of the seat 5, at its rear edge by means of a plate 19, the upper end of the arm being laterally bent to form the plate 19, and at its lower end pivoted by the rivet 16, to the hingemember 11. To obviate wear on the upper edge of the rear bar 3, the latter may have applied thereto angular wear-plates 20, arranged in line with and adapted to support the bracket-arms 19.

Taking the parts in the position in which they are shown in Fig; 1, it will be seen that the rear stud 9, occupies the upper end of the curved slot 17, of the cam-plate 11, while the front stud 9, occupies the rear end of the elongated slot 15, of said cam-plate. It will be obvious that the rear edge of the back or rear side-bar 3, may be used as fulcrum for the seat 5; that is to say, by grasping the front of theseat, it may be raised to a vertical position, during which operation the bracket-arms glide rearwardly over the wear-plates 20, and the cam-plates swinging or pivoting as well as sliding rearwardly on the front studs 9 will move upward and rearward to the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein as will be seen, the rear studs 9 occupy an intermediate position in the curved slots 17. Ready access to the receptacle 2 may now be obtained. Upon lowering the seat the parts will resume the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1. Again taking the parts as shown in Fig.

1, by grasping the rear edge of the seat 5, elevating it as far as permissible and drawing the same slightly rearward the parts are brought to the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein as will be seen, the front studs 9 and the rear studs 9 are at the front ends of the two slots 15 and 17 respectively, the stud 9 engaging with the locking-recess 17 and the lower ends of the bracketar1ns and the rear ends of the rearward extensions 13 are interposed between the underside of the seat and the upper edge of the rear bar 3 where these parts are supported by the wear-plates 20. When the parts are in this position it will be seen that the seat is locked against forward movement by the studs 9' engaging the locking recesses 17*, and the rear edge of the seat 5 is supported considerably above its front edge, or, in other words, the seat is inclined toward its front edge. If the inclination is too great, the same may be lessened by the interposition of an elevating-strip 21, the same being hinged, asat 22, to the rear upper corner of the front bar 3, and capable of being elevated upon said front bar so as to form a continuation thereof, or swung rearward and downward out of operative position.

The arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 1, enables the bench to be used for ordinary piano playing, the seat being substantially horizontal, and as shown by both full and dotted lines in Fig. 3, the device is con vertible for use as a bench for a playerpiano. In the latter position it will be seen that the body of the performer is supported on an inclined seat, and hence, the weight of the body may, at will, be projected or thrown upon the pumping-pedals of the player-mechanism. It will also be observed that by reason of the body of the performer being thus supported the leg and back muscles will be free so that instead of the legs being usable from the knees they are usable from the hips down. This arrangement will be found to greatly relieve the performer from fatigue, resulting from the necessity of operating the pumping-pedals, and will also give better control of the instrument. In the present instance, the rear bar 3, is utilized to support the rear ends of the adjustable hinge and the seat when the latter is inclined, but, as will be readily seen, any other form of support may be used for this'purpose in the event the bar 3 is not present in the "construction of bench.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, is:

1. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, means for connecting the standards, seat-supports projecting from the standards, and a seat movably mounted on the supports, of a slidable hinge-member connected to each standard, and a fixed hinge-member pivoted to the rear end of each of the slidable members and secured to the rear edge of the seat, whereby the seat may be moved rearwardly and upwardly at its rear end'and hence inclined with relation to its supports. 7

2. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, a receptacle embodying a rear bar connecting the standards, and a seat movably mounted on the receptacle between the standards ancl supported at its rear edge by said rear bar, of a vibratory reciprocating hinge-member connected to each of the standards, and fixed hinge-members connected to the seat and pivoted at their lower ends to the rear ends of the vibratory reciprocating hinge-members, whereby the rear edge of the seat may be moved rearward and upward so as to incline the same and the rear ends of the hinge-members caused to rest upon said rear bar.

3. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, and means for connecting the same, of a pair of headed studs projecting from each of said standards and arranged one in advance of the other, hingeplates carried by the studs and each provided with a straight and a curved slot for receiving the studs, a seat between the standards, supports for the seat, and bracketarms depending from the seat near its rear edge and pivoted to the rear ends of the hinge-plates, whereby the seat is capable of being vertically and rearwardly moved and the rear ends of the hinge-plates caused to rest upon the seat-supports.

4. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, the box-like receptacle connecting the same and embodying front and rear bars, of guide-plates secured to the stalfdards and having headed studs, camplates having front and rear Straight and curved slots, respectively, mounted on the studs, a seat adapted to serve as a lid mounted on the receptacle, and bracket-arms depending from the seat and connected pivotally with the rear ends of the cam-plates, whereby said seat may be elevated at its rear end and moved rearward to bring said bracket-arms over the said rear bar.

5. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, and a box-like receptacle connecting the same and embodying a front bar, of a seat movably supported between the standards and at its front edge on said front bar, means for vertically adjusting the rear edge of the seat so as to in cline the same, and a strip hinged at the upper edge of the front bar and adapted to be folded out of position at the rear side of the same or forwardly upon the bar so as to form an elevated support for the front edge of the seat.

6. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, seat-supports, and a seat movably mounted on the supports, of slid able hinge-members connected to the opposite standards, a hinge-member pivoted to each of the slidable members and to the seat, whereby the said seat may be moved rearwardly and upwardly at. its rear end and hence inclined with relation to its supports, and means for locking said seat in its inclined position.

7. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, seat-supports, and a seat movably mounted on the supports, of slidable hinge-members connected to the opposite standards, a hinge-member pivoted to each of the slidable members and to the seat, whereby the said seat may be moved rearwardly and upwardly at its rear end and hence inclined with relation to its supports,

' means for locking said seat in its inclined position, and means for disengagingsaid locking-means when the seat is raised and swung forward.

8. In a piano-bench, the combination with opposite standards, the box-like receptacle connecting the same and embodying front and rear bars, of guide-plates secured to the standards and having headed studs, camplates having front and rear straight and curved slots, respectively, the latter slots being abruptly disposed at their lower ends to form locking portions, said slots engaging said studs, a seat adapted to serve as a lid for and mounted on the receptacle, and bracket-arms depending from the seat and connected pivotally with the rear ends ofthe cam-plates, whereby said seat may be elevated at its rear end and locked in such 7 position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVENDELIN P. SENG.

In presence of FRANK J. SENG, JOHN M. Bnos'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

